House Republican Leaders, including Congressman Pete Sessions, the man responsible for getting Representative Cory Gardner (CO-04) re-elected, introduced legislation to end Social Security as we know it – starting immediately. Gardner already voted for the controversial Republican plan to end Medicare, while protecting subsidies for Big Oil and tax breaks for millionaires, and increasing the debt ceiling by $2 trillion.

“After following his Republican leadership and voting to end Medicare, Colorado seniors deserve to know whether Representative Cory Gardner supports the Republican Leadership scheme to end Social Security as we know it,” said Jesse Ferguson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Everyone knows we need to cut spending and reduce debt, but Gardner and House Republican leaders continue protecting taxpayer giveaways for Big Oil companies and tax breaks for millionaires instead of protecting Social Security and Medicare. Apparently, ending Medicare wasn’t enough for Representative Cory Gardner’s Republican leadership, now they’re focusing on ending Social Security as well.”

Background

House Republicans propose Social Security opt-out. “House Republicans on Friday introduced legislation that would allow workers to partially opt out of Social Security immediately, and fully opt out after 15 years.” The measure was introduced by NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions (TX-32) and Republican Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05) among others. [The Hill, 6/6/11 ]

Voted for the 2012 Republican Budget Proposal that would “essentially end Medicare.” Representative Cory Gardner voted to end Medicare by supporting the Republican budget. The Wall Street Journal reports “The plan would essentially end Medicare, which now pays most of the health-care bills for 48 million elderly and disabled Americans, as a program that directly pays those bills.” [H Con. Res. 34, Vote #277, 4/15/11; Wall Street Journal, 4/4/11]

Republican Budget Cuts Taxes for Wealthy, Corporations. An April 2011 New York Times editorial wrote that the Republican budget plan “envisions lower taxes for the wealthy than even George W. Bush imagined: a permanent extension for his tax cuts, plus large permanent estate-tax cuts, a new business tax cut and a lower top income tax rate for the richest taxpayers.” In addition, the corporate tax rate would be cut even lower, to 25 percent. [New York Times, Editorial, 4/6/11; Bloomberg, 4/08/11]